The Scent of a Woman
by thekatthatbarks
Summary: Kiba tells Sakura some news that ends up completely mortifying her.


Sakura was vaguely listening to the guys' conversation about their last mission. Normally, she'd listen intently and make comments now and again. But she was so tired from work, she could only manage a nod and then to show that she was listening. Not that the boys noticed as they went on with their _adventurous_ story.

She was just listening quietly as she ate until something Kiba said caught her attention. "I mean it was horrible for me and Akamaru. But I couldn't imagine how bad it would be if Kakashi had gone with us like he was supposed to."

Sakura looked at him confused. "What do you mean?"

Kiba looked at her like she was stupid and she barely held back a punch to his head. His expression dropped at her glare and he explained, "Well, the Inuzukas _are_ known for their sense of smell and our dogs. But the Hatakes have always been known for having an even keener sense of smell."

"Oh." Sakura looked back down at her food thoughtfully. She supposed that made sense. There had been a few times when Kakashi was overwhelmed by strong smells but she hadn't really thought about it until now. Like that time she was painting her toe nails and he left, saying he'd come back later for dinner. Or the time when they were kids and Naruto had slipped gracefully into a manure pile, Kakashi had all but thrown him into the river. Sakura paused in her chewing as something slowly started to come together in her head. The other day, she remembered him telling her that he knew Ino had a crush on Naruto. When she'd ask how, he'd told her vaguely that he could just _tell_ …

Sakura suddenly stood up from her chair and slammed her hands on the table. She gasped in horror, the color leaving her face. " _No!_ "

Everyone around the table looked at her in shock and even a few people at other tables were staring at her like she was crazy. Naruto asked her worriedly, "Sakura-chan..? What's wrong?"

She barely looked at him as she replied, "I-I, uh, I have to go." Then, hurried out of the restaurant. She didn't even have enough mind to leave money, but when she realized it earlier, she knew Naruto wouldn't mind paying for her.

She didn't think anything through as she walked to Kakashi's apartment. She realized this after she walked through his front door. There weren't any locks since he'd added her chakra to the apartment a few years ago. But when she met him face to face in his small kitchen, she realized _confronting_ the reason for her embarrassment was probably the worst idea.

But she was already there and Sakura wasn't one to run away from things. She tried to calm her beating heart and blushing face as he stared at her in surprise. He put down the knife he was using to cook and stepped towards her. "Sakura? Are you alright?"

Sakura searched for something to say, because she had already – _stupidly_ – decided they were going to talk about this. But she didn't know exactly _how_ to say it. She cleared her throat, so her voice would sound calmer than she felt. "Kakashi, how did you know Ino liked Naruto?"

Kakashi stared at her for a moment a little thrown off, then said, "Um, why? Was I right?"

Ino confessing to her the same thing last night flashed through her mind. But Sakura shook her head, he hadn't answered her. "Yes. Kakashi, how did you _know_?"

He looked at her a little uncomfortably and chuckled as he leaned against the wall. "Sakura, why does it matter?"

" _Kakashi_." Sakura levelled a look at him and took a step towards him.

Kakashi sighed and scratched the back of his head, looking away from her. "Sakura, I…"

"Can smell it?" Sakura finished for him with a cocked eyebrow.

He looked back at her in surprise and simply nodded. Sakura groaned in response and ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. _So, it was true._ She wasn't surprised, but there was still something about hearing it confirmed.

Kakashi was staring at her worriedly now and grabbed her shoulders to stop her from pacing in front of him. "Sakura, what's going on? Did something happen with Ino –"

"No, Kakashi. Nothing happened with Ino. You! _You_ knew that I was attracted to you!" Sakura yelled at him in frustration. She knew it wasn't his fault, but she needed something to be angry at for her embarrassment. He'd never _told_ her either, so she felt like she had enough reason.

Kakashi's eyes went wide and his hands dropped from her shoulders in shock. "Ah."

"Yeah, _ah_. What the hell, Kakashi? How could you not tell me that?" Sakura walked away from him and stopped near the window. She buried her face in her hands. "I'm so… _mortified_."

She heard him lean away from the wall. He sighed and she could hear his footsteps as he walked towards her. "Sakura…it's nothing to be embarrassed about."

"Is too," Sakura argued, vaguely aware that she sounded like a child. She could feel her face heating up in her hands and tried to not think about how red she must be.

Kakashi laughed and grabbed her shoulder, turning her to him and holding her. "Sakura."

Sakura hugged him back, wrapping her arms around his torso and burying her face in his chest. He leaned his head against hers. "Isn't there something I can do to make you feel better?"

"No." It wasn't that she was embarrassed that Kakashi knew she was attracted to him. But for him to know exactly _when_ she was _aroused_ by him was a little much.

Kakashi sighed and was quiet for a moment, then he said, "I'm attracted to you too, you know."

Sakura pulled away from him enough to look up at him in surprise. He continued, "You may think it's hot when I climb out of a river with my clothes soaked through and I have to flip my luscious silver hair back." Sakura snorted, but he pretended he didn't hear her and just stared down at her with _this_ expression that made her melt. "But I think you're incredibly sexy when you've just finished a fight and your muscles are glistening with sweat, you're panting, and you have this satisfied smirk on your face."

Sakura's cheeks returned back to that blushing pink and Kakashi smiled. "Or when you're holding on to me as you heal my wounds, the way your hands grip at me sure and comforting. Or when you have me pinned down in a spar, your thighs secure around my waist and your hands holding my hands down without any effort. The way you lean down close, your breath hot on my face as you inform me that you've won. Or when you're eating and food tribbles down your chin."

Sakura laughed at the last one and hit him lightly on the shoulder. "Whatever."

Kakashi chuckled, but told her as he brought up a hand to cup her face. "I think you're beautiful no matter what you're doing."

Sakura smiled at him, leaning into his touch and they were both quiet a moment as they looked at each other. Then, Kakashi slowly reached up and pulled down his mask. Sakura's eyes widened a fraction but she got over her shock quickly enough to lean up and kiss that cocky grin she had always known was there.

He kissed her back, pulling her closer to him and she had her fingers entangled in his hair. She felt excited as she kissed him and with how he gripped at her waist, she knew he felt the same. It was slow and she loved how there wasn't any rush in it. When they broke for air, he leaned his forehead against hers and met her eyes. "If you still feel any sort of embarrassment, you should know I probably think about you twice as much as you think of me."

Sakura laughed and pecked him on the lips. "Now, Kakashi, that just makes you a pervert."

He looked at her like he was lost, but she knew it was all an act when he asked, "Mah, Sakura-chan, where even is the line between romancers and perverts?"


End file.
